Foundation For The Mid South Inc

THE FOUNDATION FOR THE MID SOUTH INVESTS IN PEOPLE AND STRATEGIES THAT BUILD PHILANTHROPY AND PROMOTE RACIAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUITY IN ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE REGION, THE FOUNDATION SEEKS TO INVEST IN MUNICIPALITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND PEOPLE TO HELP THEM DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO ALLOW THEIR COMMUNITIES TO GROW AND PROSPER. WE DO THIS BY PURSUING CHANGES IN SYSTEMS AND POLICY, INCLUDING CHANGES IN COORDINATION OF SERVICES, CONTEXTUALIZATION OF LITERACY AND OCCUPATION SKILL DEVELOPMENT, COMBINATION OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, DEVELOPMENT OF CAREER PATHS, STRENGTHENING THE WORKPLACE TO BE A LEARNING PLACE, AND IMPROVING POLICIES.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CONTINUED:IN 2021, OUR WORK WITHIN THE AMERICORPS SCOPE CONTINUED TO GAIN MOMENTUM WITH REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS TO ENCOMPASS ALL THREE DELTA REGIONS WE SERVE. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OFFERED WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES IN LOUISIANA INCLUDING THE LOUISIANA COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM (LCTCS) AND THE STATE'S AMERICORPS VISTA PROGRAM DIRECTOR. BUILDING ON LESSONS LEARNED DURING THE INITIAL PROJECT IN ARKANSAS WE HAVE CREATED A PLAN THAT WE BELIEVE WILL CREATE A CROSSOVER REGIONAL PROJECT FOR THE VISTA WORK. ADDITIONALLY, THE OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO HAVE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBERS SERVING IN THE DELTA REGIONS BY 50% WITHIN THREE YEARS. SEVERAL EXISTING GRANTEES CLOSED OUT THEIR PROJECT WORK OVER THE COURSE OF THE 2020 YEAR. WE CONTINUED TO SEE TREMENDOUS RESULTS WITHIN THE WORKFORCE SERVICE AREA BOTH WITH PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES DESPITE THE COVID 19 ISSUES. MORE THAN 700 INDIVIDUALS WERE DIRECTLY IMPACTED WITH WORKFORCE TRAINING, CREDENTIALING, AND/OR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FUNDING OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. SOME OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMS CONTINUED TO INCLUDE THE ELECTRICAL LINEMAN PROGRAM WHICH PRODUCES GRADUATES AT A 93% COMPLETION RATE AND 87% RETENTION RATE AFTER 12 MONTHS. THESE JOBS OFFER SUBSTANTIAL STARTING SALARIES BUT INCREDIBLY OFFER AN EVEN GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO BE MAKING SIX FIGURES IN AS LITTLE AS 18 MONTHS OF SERVICE AND PROMOTIONS. OTHER PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE WORK KEYS CERTIFICATIONS, OFFER EMPLOYEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH JOBS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY OVERLOOKED FOR BY CONNECTING THEM DIRECTLY TO THE JOB'S REQUIREMENTS VIA JOB PROFILING, ANOTHER PROJECT THE FOUNDATION INVESTED IN. OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS THERE HAVE BEEN TWO AREAS OF MAJOR WORK RELATED TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT: THE WORKPLACE EQUITY PROJECT AND THE VISTA PROJECT IN THE ARKANSAS DELTA REGION.

EDUCATION - THIS PROGRAM AREA FOCUSES ON ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT ENSURES IMPROVED EDUCATION OUTCOMES LEADING TO PARTICIPATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT. THE GOALS ARE TO INCREASE STUDENT LEARNING AND IMPROVE INDICATORS SUCH AS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES, COLLEGE-READINESS, AND WORK READINESS ACROSS THE MID SOUTH. SEVERAL APPROACHES ARE UTILIZED TO REACH THIS GOAL: EXPANDING THE SKILLS AND CAPACITY OF STUDENTS AND SUPPORT GROUPS, AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING IN OTHER MEDIUMS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.EDUCATION, CONTINUED:IN 2020, THE FOUNDATION PARTNERED WITH SELECTED SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES ADDRESSING KEY FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT PERFORMANCE INCLUDING ABSENCES. A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO ABSENCES PARTICULARLY FOR BLACK MALES IS OFTENTIMES SUSPENSIONS. THE AIM IS TO PARTNER WITH SELECTED DISTRICTS TO IMPROVE STUDENT'S PERFORMANCE, LEARN MORE ABOUT CURRENT POLICIES/PRACTICES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON ABSENCES, SUSPENSIONS, AND PERFORMANCE.THE FOUNDATION WORKED WITH THE CLEVELAND AND GREENWOOD/LEFLORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE TIERED FIDELITY INVENTORY (TFI) TO ASSESS CURRENT PROACTIVE AND CORRECTIVE PROCEDURES FOR MANAGING STUDENT DISCIPLINE FOR ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE FOUNDATION IS ENGAGING AND ENCOURAGING PARTNERS TO CONTINUE SHARING INFORMATION IN ORDER TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES. THIS IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURING GREATER STUDENT SUCCESS. WE REMAIN ACTIVE IN DEVELOPING NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND STRENGTHENING EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SUPPORT EFFORTS AIMED AT ADVANCING STUDENT SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THESE MID-SOUTH COMMUNITIES. BY HAVING MORE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS AND REACH, WE CONTINUE TO EXPECT GREATER ENGAGEMENT AND ACTION FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS LOCAL AND STATEWIDE PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO POSITIVELY IMPROVE OUTCOMES. THERE MUST BE ONGOING RECOGNITION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS IN THESE AREAS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE DELTA'S GROWTH AND COMPETITIVENESS.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS - THIS PRIORITY AREA FOCUSES ON IMPROVING HEALTH IN THE MID SOUTH AND PROMOTING THE BROADER DEFINITION OF HEALTH NOT AS A SEPARATE ISSUE, BUT AS AN INTERRELATED PART OF IMPROVING OUR REGION. RECOGNIZING THAT HEALTH IS INTEGRAL TO THE PROGRESS OF THE REGION, THE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTCOMES.

WEALTH BUILDING, AGENDA IS TO ENABLE FAMILIES TO BUILD FINANCIAL SECURITY. WE BELIEVE THAT BUILDING WEALTH REQUIRES INCREASED ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE FINANCIAL PROGRAMS AND INFORMATION. WHEN FAMILIES ARE GIVEN THE TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO GET THEIR FINANCES ON TRACK, THEY CAN BEGIN TO GROW THEIR SAVINGS, MAXIMIZE THEIR INCOME, AND ACQUIRE ASSETS. THE FOUNDATION'S FINANCIAL FIRST AID TOOLKITS INCLUDES INFORMATION HOW TO GROW AND PROTECT YOUR WEALTH. OVER 1,500 TOOLKITS WERE PROVIDED TO ORGANIZATIONS TO ASSIST WITH FINANCIAL TRAINING.